The present invention relates generally to culinary mixers and disintegrators useful for blending, comminuting, or liquefying a food product. However, the device of the present invention is capable of receiving any type of liquid or solid susceptible of comminution. However, for the sake of clarity, the device of the present invention will be described with reference to culinary mixers commonly found in the home.
Food blenders and liquefiers have grown in popularity and are now a commonly encountered kitchen aid in most households. Their utility ranges from blending food products to the liquefaction of such materials. For example, the blending of various ingredients preparatory to cooking is greatly facilitated. Similarly, the consistency of many food products may be readily altered into a more convenient form for individuals, such as infants, who have difficulty in mastication. Likewise, fruits and vegetables are easily liquefied to a nourishing drink. The breadth of utility has generally been confined to the limits of the user's imagination. However, it has been found that optimum results from prior art devices are achievable only at great inconvenience as the demands on these culinary devices begin to exceed their capabilities.
One of the most noted deficiencies in prior art culinary mixers and disintegrators is a tendency for "bridging". As food product is added and the agitator/cutter blade rotated, there is a pronounced tendency for the product in closest proximity to the rotating blade to become overly liquefied while holding above material which does not encounter the disintegrating or blending action of the blade. In such an event, the user must resort to the insertion of a tool in order to aid the desired blending action, which is not only inconvenient but dangerous. Some devices have resorted to intermittent operation of the motor to cure this bridging tendency, but have not completely overcome the problem.
In order to operate most effectively, it is necessary to establish a vortex-type flow within the container which receives the food product. When the proper vortex flow is established there will be constant movement of the food product within the container cavity in order that uniformity of blending or comminution occurs. The proper mass flow within the container cavity is dependent predominantly upon the geometry of both the cutter blade and the container itself. In order to obtain the wide range of agitation demanded by today's consumer [i.e., blending through liquefaction], prior art devices have concentrated significantly upon modification of the rotating blade and the drive motor therefor. Little attention has been directed toward the container cavity itself notwithstanding its manifestly abundant affect upon the successful operation of the device.
Accordingly, it is the major object of the present invention to provide a culinary mixer and disintegrator with a container cavity adapted to maximize the mass flow of the product disposed therein whereby dramatic improvement in homogeneity of the blended or comminuted product is exhibited.
It is also an object of the present invention to provide a lobular cavity for receiving a food product to be blended, comminuted, or liquefied with comminutor/blender blades rotatably disposed within each of a plurality of lobes of the container.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide independent control of each of the comminutor/blender blades in order to further maximize the efficiency of the device.